INTEGRATED Microelectronics Inc. (IMI) always raises the bar in terms of manufacturing to remain a key electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company in the global market.
Although the company is operating in the Philippines, IMI Laguna 1 General Manager Jawaharlal Milanes said the company is, in a way, promoting the Philippines through the export of its electronics products. “Hopefully, in the future, we will be exporting products made by IMI that will create an impact on the Philippines soon,” he said.
IMI is currently handling marquee projects geared for the developed world. On the European front, IMI is doing an impressive job of bagging major manufacturing jobs for major clients. It is manufacturing a leading-edge automated security system that is getting a warm response from the American and European markets.
The big opportunity came when Siemens Security, a subsidiary of the German technology giant Siemens, was sold to American firm Vanderbilt.
Since the acquisition of Vanderbilt, all the business requirements were moved to IMI’s unit in the Czech Republic.
Vanderbilt is a company manufacturing security products and systems encompassing access control, intruder detection, closed-circuit television and integrated security management. The firm also provides security systems used in dozens of industries: banking, telecommunications, finance, manufacturing, health care, education, legal, accounting, government and more.
“Getting Vanderbilt has become a significant business for IMI operations in the Czech Republic amounting to $7 million to $10 million annually,” Milanes said. “We also won $1 million additional annual transaction for the Philippines for the intrusion-alarm system project.”
Furthermore, IMI also designs and builds testers for Vanderbilt, which makes IMI a notch above other EMS providers.
Building the box
IN their joint business activity, IMI in the Philippines will develop the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), while the Czech team will manufacture what is called the “box builder.” IMI also handled the manufacturing of the PCBA of Branson’s ultrasonic plastic chargers when it bought Emerson.
IMI has also entered a codevelopment scheme with a major technology company to manufacture dosimeters. A dosimeter measures exposure to ionizing radiation. It functions as human-radiation protection and for measurement of dose in both medical and industrial processes.
Dosimeters are used in hospitals, nuclear plants and military installations.
Milanes said IMI is currently developing an app-based dosimeter that enables a user to access the data on the mobile phone and show graphically the dose of radiation.
It has acquired a nuclear calibrating source machine that can measure the accuracy of dosimeters. It is manned by three Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI)-certified engineers to handle cissium source in a leaded container and calibrate the reading, functional testing procedures done in Laguna.
“We just don’t manufacture devices, but also test them. We even have one customer who came here to transfer its manufacturing business to IMI,” Milanes said.
Russia is the biggest client, followed by France, while Canada is ranked third. Furthermore, nuclear plants in the three countries are also using it for determining radiation levels.
Reverse engineering
MILANES also recalled that his team is required to do a reverse engineering program for their new client because the other EMS did not want to turn over all the materials needed for the design of the product.
“I assigned a team composed of three engineers to visit the plant of the EMS,” he said. “They stayed in the plant for three days to absorb as much as possible information and in fact, my team achieved the objective.”
“We rewrote the entire design so we can manufacture it,” Milanes added.
Recently, IMI was tapped by the Ayala conglomerate to assemble the Austrian KTM motorcycle brand in the country.
The challenge is new for Milanes and his team, because the company does not assemble motorcycles. Although they do not have a single experience in the assembly of motorcycles, Milanes and his team are looking forward because it is a significant assignment. Of course, it helps the project is getting 100-percent support from the Zobel brothers and IMI President and CEO Arthur Tan, all bike enthusiasts.
The spare parts of KTM will be coming from India. The mid-range bikes (299cc) will be assembled in the Philippines. “I sent five engineers from the team to India to familiarize the process of making the bike,” Milanes said.
Motivated work force
AT the heart of the manufacturing operations, the people must always be motivated in their work, not only because they are carrying the company’s name, but, more important, representing the Philippines, according to Milanes.
He said he always tells his team the products that they assembled and designed are a reflection, not only of the stature of the company, but of the country, as well.
“If we can always maintain that high level of engineering and content made in the Philippines, IMI will be in the forefront of promoting the country as an excellent producer of quality electronic products,” Milanes said. “It is more than a legacy and building up the future. You are promoting the Philippines.”